Compare towns
Appleton vs Cornville vs Mapleton vs Searsmont
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Appleton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.2%).
Cornville has the most affordable homes ($167k median).
Mapleton has the most kids (22.2% under 18).
Searsmont has the most people working from home (16.3%).
What matters to you?
Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.
| Measure | Appleton | Cornville | Mapleton | Searsmont |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,360Lowest |
1,419 |
1,884Highest |
1,646 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+0.2% ME: +2.6% |
-3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+0.6% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49.2±7.4 10% above ME |
50.1±7.4Highest 12% above ME |
41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
44.5±9.8 about the ME average |
| Cornville and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 15.3%±2.7 ME: 18.1% |
17.3%±5.8 ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
13.9%±3.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Mapleton and Cornville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 26.1%±9.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.8%±3.2 ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
21%±1.3 ME: 22.4% |
| Appleton and Searsmont are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.1% ME: 36.2% |
29.6%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
31.6% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
2.6%±1.8Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
10%±6.6Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Searsmont and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $53,618±$19kLowest 28% below ME |
$79,926±$18k 7% above ME |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$87,000±$20k 16% above ME |
| Mapleton and Searsmont are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $235,600±$33k 21% below ME |
$167,400±$14kLowest 44% below ME |
$191,800±$23k 35% below ME |
$284,000±$31kHighest 4% below ME |
| Searsmont and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,104±$82 3% below ME |
$1,366±$181Highest 20% above ME |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$940±$311 17% below ME |
| Cornville and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,588Highest 18% above ME |
$1,808 40% below ME |
$1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
$2,788 8% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
15.2%±31.8Lowest ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5 ME: 48.4% |
41.4%±41.3 ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Searsmont are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 9.7% ME: 10.7% |
12.2%Highest ME: 10.7% |
8.9% ME: 10.7% |
6.6%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.6% ME: 74.3% |
89% ME: 74.3% |
79.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
90.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
1990Highest 13 yrs newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 23% above ME |
28 min 15% above ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
25 minLowest about the ME average |
| Work from home | 11.1%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
5.9%±3.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
16.3%±10.1Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Searsmont and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | Appleton Public Schools | — | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | RSU 71 |
| High school in town | None in town | — | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
ME average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.